SOC 33-3031 · Protective Service Occupations
Fish and Game Wardens
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025United States, all industries
Nationally, fish and game wardens earned a median of $74,060 per year as of the May 2025 OEWS estimates, across 5,770 jobs. Pay varies substantially by area — look up a specific state or metro below.
National pay distribution
Pay by state
Every state and territory with a published May 2025 estimate. “Not published” means BLS suppressed the value — it never means zero. Higher medians often track higher living costs; this is not a ranking of where the job is “best”.
| State | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $100,090 | $48.12 | 330 | 0.0 |
| Iowa | $98,260 | $47.24 | 120 | 0.1 |
| Indiana | $93,990 | $45.19 | 170 | 0.1 |
| Nevada | $91,750 | $44.11 | 50 | 0.0 |
| Maryland | $89,300 | $42.94 | 60 | 0.0 |
| Wisconsin | $89,110 | $42.84 | 150 | 0.1 |
| Michigan | $87,460 | $42.05 | 210 | 0.0 |
| Texas | $85,980 | $41.34 | 490 | 0.0 |
| New York | $80,060 | $38.49 | 390 | 0.0 |
| North Dakota | $79,520 | $38.23 | 30 | 0.1 |
| Georgia | $79,440 | $38.19 | 200 | 0.0 |
| Tennessee | $75,930 | $36.51 | 220 | 0.1 |
| Ohio | $75,880 | $36.48 | 160 | 0.0 |
| Vermont | $74,940 | $36.03 | 40 | 0.1 |
| Alabama | $74,290 | $35.71 | 160 | 0.1 |
| Wyoming | $74,060 | $35.60 | 70 | 0.3 |
| Maine | $73,260 | $35.22 | 190 | 0.3 |
| Idaho | $73,200 | $35.19 | 110 | 0.1 |
| New Jersey | $72,920 | $35.06 | 90 | 0.0 |
| Arkansas | $72,200 | $34.71 | 80 | 0.1 |
| Missouri | $70,030 | $33.67 | 150 | 0.1 |
| Hawaii | $69,250 | $33.29 | 110 | 0.2 |
| Oklahoma | $69,120 | $33.23 | 170 | 0.1 |
| South Dakota | $68,810 | $33.08 | 100 | 0.2 |
| Virginia | $66,540 | $31.99 | 180 | 0.0 |
| Connecticut | $65,400 | $31.44 | 90 | 0.1 |
| Nebraska | $63,000 | $30.29 | 70 | 0.1 |
| West Virginia | $62,530 | $30.06 | 110 | 0.2 |
| Kansas | $61,840 | $29.73 | 100 | 0.1 |
| North Carolina | $61,430 | $29.53 | 190 | 0.0 |
| Louisiana | $59,940 | $28.82 | 110 | 0.1 |
| Montana | $59,490 | $28.60 | 70 | 0.1 |
| Kentucky | $54,570 | $26.24 | 70 | 0.0 |
| Pennsylvania | $50,250 | $24.16 | 80 | 0.0 |
| Florida | $31,200 | $15.00 | 290 | 0.0 |
| Delaware | Not published | Not published | 60 | 0.1 |
Pay by metro area
All 13 metro areas where BLS publishes this occupation. Sort by median wage, employment, or local concentration — or see the highest-paying metros ranked.
Each dot is one metro area with a published median — hover any dot for the name and figure. Metros without published estimates are not drawn.
| Metro area | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $105,780 | $50.86 | 40 | 0.0 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $89,300 | $42.94 | 40 | 0.0 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $89,110 | $42.84 | 30 | 0.1 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $87,140 | $41.89 | 50 | 0.0 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $85,980 | $41.34 | 40 | 0.0 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $81,490 | $39.18 | 30 | 0.0 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $79,440 | $38.19 | 50 | 0.0 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $76,290 | $36.68 | 40 | 0.0 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $75,990 | $36.53 | 30 | 0.0 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $73,130 | $35.16 | 90 | 0.0 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $63,060 | $30.32 | 80 | 0.1 |
| Syracuse, NY | $56,730 | $27.27 | 50 | 0.2 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $31,200 | $15.00 | 60 | 0.0 |
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.